What Can Harm Your Home Drainage System?

Having a happy, healthy home is important for everyone. However, as much as we love our homes, there are basic maintenance jobs – such as drainage – that we forget about because they’re not glaringly obvious. Keeping your drainage system clear and clean is not easy, but by avoiding some of these factors, your drains will stay healthier for longer.

Here are the worst drain blockage culprits you should avoid and dispose of somewhere other than your drain:

1. Hair. So much hair. Make sure to clear your shower and bath drains of any hair build-up on a weekly basis. This will stop hair from going down the drain and causing a blockage, along with general soap scum.2. Grease, fats and oils. Juices from cooked meats, butter, dairy products and cooking oils all add up to one disgusting clogged drain. This mixture of grease causes “fatbergs” that block up the sewers.3. Baby wipes and paper hand towels. These should never be flushed down the toilet. Unless the packaging specifically says so, most are not as disposable as you think.4. Food scraps. Foods like pasta expand after they sit in the pipes and soak up water, which makes for a smelly blockage. Avoid food debris causing issues by using a sink strainer.5. Plastic. Plastic stickers from fruit and little bits of plastic from grocery products are notorious for causing issues in kitchen pipes. Again, a sink strainer will help you avoid this problem altogether.6. Chemical cleaning agents and paint. Avoid using chemical cleaners down your drain as they can erode the pipes and are disruptive to water ecosystems. Many paints should never be rinsed down the drain; oil-based paint especially should be disposed of correctly.7. Coffee grounds. It’s incredibly easy for coffee grounds to block a pipe; they can cause a blockage by themselves but can also help build other blockages. Dispose of your coffee grounds outside instead; they are great for your garden as a mulch or fertilizer.8. Feminine hygiene products, cotton swabs and cotton balls. This is an obvious one – one stray cotton swab and it’s the perfect platform for a blockage to occur.

Get the recipe for a natural drain cleaner that won’t harm your drain here. If you are still having drainage issues, find out more about our CCTV drain inspection services. Contact us today to discuss a solution for your property or business on 09 392 7789.